The Aunts
by Paintmesilver
Summary: Harry and Hermione's trip continues with a stop in a small town somewhere on the Massachusetts coast. To a small island, and the quirky women that live there.


Disclaimer: I don't own Practical Magic or Harry Potter and make no profit from either of them.

"So, this is a thing now?" Harry asked resigned to his fate.

"Whatever do you mean?" Hermione looked excitedly out of the passenger window as the pulled up to a lovely, stately old home.

"Visiting your family, and you know just not going back."

"You don't want to visit my family with me?" Hermione turned sad brown eyes on him, when did she learn how to do that?

"I said no such thing, and you're avoiding the question." Harry protested, privately he thought that it was good that Hermione was getting to see her family. She seemed far more relaxed than he had ever seen her. The support and love of her family proved to be an effective therapy.

"Then why are you complaining?" she still avoided the question.

"I'm not complaining, you've heard me complain. I would just like to know if this is what we're doing now." He said pulling into the driveway. He would have to send Dean a thank you note. Hermione's hunter cousin seemed to think it was a crime against nature that he couldn't drive and insisted on teaching him. "I happen to like your family, even when they threaten me. They've been very nice."

"I'm glad. And well, Uncle Harvey sent out the word that we were in the states. I haven't seen them in a long while."

"Hermione, you don't have to justify it to me. I just want to know if we are going on some kind of cross-country trip, relative to relative."

"You don't mind, do you?" Her voice was small and she looked a little sheepish.

"No, I don't care if we expand this vacation to see all your relatives. I'm guessing you have a very big family network. I am having a great time meeting all of them." He parked the car "So, shall we?"

"Yes. Oh wait, before you get out. Sally is one of the sweetest people you will ever meet, but she is very protective of the family." She moved to get out of the car before catching Harry's arm "So is Gillian, but she's a man-eater."

"What?" Harry shook his head at the sudden change of tone "Ok."

"Oh, Sally's girls are adorable but ah playful. Kind of like the twins toned down some."

"Right." Harry put his hand on the handle before Hermione caught him again.

"If the Aunts try to talk you into a spell for your love life the answer is no."

"What?"

"I'm just warning you, you asked me to warn you." Harry could see the three generations of women gathering on the front porch looking curiously into the car.

"Anything else I should know?"

"Yes, to their Midnight Margaritas, no to their meddling ways…"

"And?"

"And?"

"You're keeping something from me. Your nose is doing that twitch thing it does when you try to lie to me."

"I will figure out that spell you used eventually you know."

"Yes, I know, now stop changing the subject,"

"Ok so they may have had a mishap recently with a necromancy spell gone wrong."

"Next time that's the thing you start with." Harry deadpanned.

"Right." Hermione paused "Last thing. There was until recently, a curse on this part of the family that tended to kill off male lovers and husbands. It doesn't apply anymore but it's bound to come up. I actually wonder if I had been affected by it would it have applied to best friends?"

"Again, Necromancy and Family Curses are something to tell me about first."

"I just didn't want to scare you, Harry."

"Hi have we met? Hermione, I have accepted that your family is far from a normal muggle family." Harry smirked, "Although if you had been affected by the curse it would have fixed your Ron problem."

"Harry, he's still your best friend."

"Yes but right now he's acting like a ponce."

"You really are the sweetest when you put your mind to it. Ready to meet the family, again?"

"Yes," He opened his door "Although I can't help but think that you are saving your quirkiest family for last." He didn't notice her freeze for a moment or turn away from him as she replied with a quick.

"Don't be silly Harry." Before she was engulfed by six enthusiastic women and girls, all speaking as one.

"…you've gotten so big..."

"…missed you so much. How's your Mother?"

"Who have you seen..."

"…and did you bring me anything…"

"Have you met anyone…"

"Who's this?" The greeting family members turned almost as one to Harry, whom suddenly felt like the artic had just traveled down his spine. He smiled awkwardly and waved.

"Everyone this is Harry Potter, my best friend." Harry found himself surrounded and hurried into the house with one of the warmest welcomes he ever had. Hermione may have some crazy end plan in store for them but for now, he was going to soak in the love and affection in the warm therapy of the surrogate family Hermione so willingly offered to him.


End file.
